Kyū to Ichi: Nine and One
by Mangetsu no Kitsune
Summary: 15 years have passed since Naruto left Konohagakure no Sato, and many things have happened during this time. See what happens when Naruto falls in love with the most unlikely character. AU OCC Naru/?
1. Hello Brother

Kyū to Ichi: Nine and One

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Sasuke would've been killed by Itachi, Jiraiya would still be alive (long live the perverts!), Sakura would be working in a brothel, and Hinata wouldn't be a freakin' stalker. IT"S CREEPY!!

The moonlight shone down brightly, illuminating the two sweaty bodies basking in the aftermath of their coupling. The full moon gave the pair an ethereal glow, one which did not go unnoticed by the male. He slowly brought the female closer to his chest, kissing her the top of her head as he did so. She mewled in content and tucked her head under his chin. The male closed his eyes, burying his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent. She smelled of wind and lilies.

"By Jūbi I love you, Mi-chan" he said in a light baritone. He clutched his Mi-chan tightly to him. She wiggled in his grasp, pulling away slightly so that her face was next to his. She smiled, showing her sharp canines. She nipped him on the nose, and then flicked it with the tip of her tongue; an instinctual gesture of affection.

"I love you too, Na-kun" she said in a low soprano. Her gold, diamond pupiled eyes gazed lovingly into his cerulean slit ones. A smile graced both their faces; both their canines gleaming in the moonlight. "I still can't believe that you chose me. I still don't think I'm worthy of you." Her Na-kun shook his head, tucking her back under his chin.

"It's me that isn't worthy of you, Anata. You are too kind to me as it is. However, even though we both think we aren't worthy enough for each other, we still have each other, and that will never change." He wrapped his nine gold tails around her, comforting her, while her one sandy tail wrapped around one of his tails. To an outside observer, they became a big lump of fur, lying in the sand as the night wind blew about in the deep desert of Kaze no Kuni. Lying in that ball of fur, their bodies were kept warm in the cold desert wind; not that their own body heat ever fluctuated, nor did the male let the wind touch them. The female sighed in bliss and twitched her two furry, round ears against the male's cheeks. He laughed and his own triangle ears twitched in response. The female giggled, feeling playful. She wiggled out of his tails and jumped a short ways away. She stood around 5'2", and looked very mousy. Her round ears turned back and forth in the night wind, blowing her shoulder length sandy-brown hair. Her breasts were small and perky and the male loved how they looked in the full moon's glow. Her waist is small and her stomach flat. Her hips are narrow, and her rear is shapely. Her sandy tail slowly sways back and forth in a hypnotic motion. The male looks at her long legs and the junction between where they were joined not too long ago, covered by a small patch of brown fuzz.

He stands up, and she inspects him. He stands around 6', towering over her by more than a head. His shoulders are broad, his chest and abs muscled. His close-cropped golden hair blows in the wind; his triangular ears twitching in time with her own. His nine blond, red tipped tails flow behind him, each in a different direction. She looked at his maleness, and licked her lips, remembering what he did to her with that not too long ago.

They smile at each other and start their game of tag. The male was it first, and he chased the female all around, trying to kiss her to pass on the title of 'it'. They played this game until the sun started rising in east, casting a pink glow over everything it touched. The couple lay within an oasis, letting the sun warm the skin. Suddenly, the male stiffened. The wind brought forth the smell of ningen. He looked down to the frowning face of his beloved. "They are coming. Five of them. Do you want to leave?" She was afraid. He could feel her apprehension of being in such close proximity to the pitiful ningen again. The male brought her closer to him, comforting her, whispering soothing words into her ear. He felt her relax against him, sighing in relief. The five chakra sources were drawing ever closer. He decided to continue lying there, but summoned up his yōki to create clothes for them to wear. He did not want any despicable ningen to see his beloved mate in such an intimate fashion. Only he was allowed that privilege. He felt her relax against him even more, now that her nakedness was covered. He also used his yōki to make sure the ningen couldn't see their ears or tails; just two people lying in an oasis, nothing more, nothing less.

The five chakra sources were upon them now, just out of sight from where they lay. He could feel them trying to assess what they were, to see if they were a threat or not. He smirked. Let the ningen try to find if they were a threat, he would bathe in their blood. He shook his head; no, that was the old him talking, the one that wanted to destroy all those who wronged him in the past. Now, now he was a good man, relatively speaking, and he would only attack if they attack first, or tried to attack his mate. Then, he would show them the meaning of pain.

Three of the ningen jumped into sight. The leader, a blond woman with a giant fan strapped to her back stepped forward. The pair stood up, with the female standing protected behind the male. The blond woman looked up at the man, and then looked at his whisker-marked cheeks. Her eyes widen slightly. She shook her head slightly and cleared her throat. "Good morning to you both. I am afraid that, while you don't look like the sort to cause trouble, I need to see some identification. You are too close to Sunagakure no Sato to be allowed to just pass by. I hope you understand." The male stepped foreword, and the two ninja behind the leader tensed.

"While I understand your reasoning, I'm afraid that we don't have any identification. We come from many miles to the south. We wish to speak with Kazekage-sama. We need to speak with him directly." The blond woman frowned and looked them over again.

"Are you ninja?" The male shook his head negative. "We will have to escort you there. I cannot allow you to go anywhere near Sunagakure without any supervision." The male smiled and said a quite that's fine. The pair walked foreword, and the blond signal the two other ninja to come out. "Before we go," she looked them over again, "are you both familiar with the Shunshin?" The male nodded, and she asked them to grab hold of her. A brief sensation of dizziness for the pair, and they found themselves in front a large stone outcrop with a narrow chasm leading into Sunagakure no Sato. The squad of ninja walked over to a man that popped out of a small crevice. He heard them start to speak, but tuned it out. He turned to the small female beside him and took her hand gently. She looked up, and he saw the slight look of fear in her eyes. He smiled reassuringly at her, and she shyly smiled back.

"It will be fine. I just wish to see my brother one more time. Then, then we will travel, and I will show you everything that's changed since you were last free. Ok, Mi-chan?" She sighed and leaned against him, with her arms around his waist.

"As long as you are with me, I will go anywhere, Na-kun." He kissed the top of her head as the blond woman walked back towards them.

"Come, I will lead you to Kazekage-sama." They started to walk down the long stretch of darkness leading into Suna. As the entered the village proper, they saw the many civilians going about their daily lives. The male kept the female close to him, and the blond woman took notice. "I've been rude," she said suddenly. "My name is Sabaku no Temari, Jōnin of Suna, and elder sister of Godaime Kazekage-sama. May I ask you you're names?"

"If you can wait until we meet Kazekage-sama, then I will tell you our names, as what I wish to speak of involves you as well." Temari hid her surprise well and just nodded. They finally came upon a large round building in the middle of the impressive village. They entered and felt the cool air against their illusion-covered skin. Temari led them to a receptionist next to a large set of wooden doors. She used an intercom and allowed them entry. The Godaime Kazekage looked up from his stack of papers on his desk. He looked over the pair, and bade them closer. Temari stepped up and bowed to her brother.

"Kazekage-sama, I found these to at Hotaru Yokuchi. They wish to speak with you." The waved the pair foreword and he stood up and spoke in a gravely voice.

"Hello, and welcome to Sunagakure. I am the Godaime Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara. May I enquire what it is you wish to talk about?" The male took a half-step foreword and Gaara's eyes flew open. His sand sprang to life behind him. "Stop right there akuma. Give me one good reason not to crush you this instant." Temari's eyes were wide, and her battle fan out. The male only smiled a foxy smile that Gaara recognized instantly. 'Impossible! It's been 15 years since anyone has heard from him. How is he alive?'

"Come now, is that anyway to treat an old friend?"

"Na-na-naruto!? Is that you?" The male only smiled wider.

"Hello brother."

Author's Note

First Story!  
I've had this thought floating about in my head for a while now, and now I've started to make it a reality.

If people like this story (HINT: READ AND REVIEW!!) then I will continue it. However, if all I get is flames, hehe, well then, let me introduce you to Mr. Fluffy, a 300' tall hamster that is rabid and has a sweet tooth for human flesh.


	2. It All Started

Kyū to Ichi: Nine and One

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Naruto would've known about Kage Bunshin long before Shippuden, and he would be totally kickass!

Silence reigned in the office of the Godaime Kazekage. Gaara's sand, which was swirling around dangerously just moments ago, fell to the floor. Temari's tessen also fell from her limp hands. The siblings looked over Naruto, taking in all his changes. Naruto's foxy smile never waivered. Gaara lips slowly stretched into a small, but happy grin. He walked out from behind his desk and stood before the giant of man. His grin widened into a genuine smile, right before he hugged his long-lost brother. Naruto immediately wrapped his arms around the smaller man, laughing good naturedly. Gaara stepped back, looking over Naruto.

"By Kami, it's good to see you again, brother. Where have you been? What have you been doing? Where-"

"Before I answer any of your questions, I need you to put up a silencing seal," Naruto interrupted. Gaara nodded and went back to his desk. He bit his finger and swiped the blood over a small, almost invisible seal on the desk. The room glowed blue for a brief second, and then died down. "There. Now we can talk freely." He smiled and motioned the female to come closer. Gaara's eyes were drawn to her, most specifically the rings around her eyes that matched his own. He tensed and the woman shrunk in on herself. Naruto frowned and turned to her, holding her close. He whispered something to her and she nodded. She slowly straightened and held onto Naruto's hand. "Before we begin, I would like to introduce you to my mate, Kinzuna Miyu, Ichibi no Tanuki." Gaara's eyes widened, and Temari tensed.

"Shukaku…" Naruto snarled at him.

"No! Shukaku was the crazy monk that was the first Ichibi no Tanuki Jinchūriki. He sealed himself into the spirit of Miyu, and he was the presence that was twisted and tormented you and all the past Jinchūriki of the Ichibi. My Mi-chan was pushed into the recesses of her body and mind, and she is just as a victim as you, and is totally innocent!" Gaara took a step back in surprise at the vehemence in Naruto's tone. "Mi-chan had no control over her body or her mind. She was just a puppet to that sick monk's whims." Naruto smiled a sad smile down to Miyu, and he held her close, with her head tucked under his chin.

"I know of the terrible things Shukaku has done to you, I truly, I am sorry from the bottom of my heart that I wasn't strong enough to suppress him. I am sorry." Miyu spoke very softly, and pulled away from Naruto to bow to Gaara. Gaara was shocked. A Bijū, the feared Ichibi no Shuka – no the Ichibi no Tanuki – was bowing to him, her former Jinchūriki. She raised when he bowed to her, much lower than she bowed. His tone, while monotonous, held much sadness.

"It is I who should say sorry, Ichibi-sama. I jumped to conclusions and made an incorrect assumption. Dakara, hontō ni yurushite kudasai." Temari had a shocked look on her face as her brother, the Kazekage bowed to the one who made his life hell. Her gaze turned to the other female in the room, watching her reaction. What she saw brought a slight smile to her face.

Miyu frowned when Gaara bowed to her. She walked up to him and raised him from his bow. "Please Gaara, do not bow to me ever again. We both have suffered from Shukaku's influence, and we both survived thanks to our lovable blond here." She looked at Naruto with her gold eyes filled with love. He smiled back at her, his own eyes conveying all that she need to know that she was doing the right thing. She looked back to Gaara and the corners of her lips upturned in a small smile. He looked her in the eyes, pale green to gold, and she could see the forgiveness and acceptance in them. She felt bold and hugged Gaara, which he returned after a slight nod from Naruto. She let go of him and moved back to Naruto's side, melting into his embrace. He leaned his head down and smiled at Gaara.

"That's what you gotta love about Mi-chan. As timid as a mouse one minute, and the next a fierce tigress willing to swipe at anything that hurts her precious people." Miyu blushed a nice shade of red and hid her face in the crux of Naruto's arm. He, in turn, laughed a booming laugh. Gaara smiled at his friend's happiness, glad that all this time healed his wounds.

"Brother, where have you been these last fifteen years? Everyone was so worried about you after you left." Naruto looked away from Miyu and smiled sadly at Gaara.

"I traveled most the time. The night I left, I unknowingly headed straight for the remains of Uzu no Kuni, the birthplace of my mother." At the widening of Gaara and Temari's eye, he smiled. "Yes, I finally know of my heritage. That's another black mark against Konoha, but I really don't hold it against them. The populous never knew, and those that did feared the retribution of Iwa." This time, the look of surprise changed to one of question. "My father was a famous man in Konoha, and even more infamous in Iwa."

Gaara's pale green eyes widened ridiculously so, making the connection between Naruto and his father. "Yondaime-sama." Temari's eyes widened as well. Naruto nodded.

"Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, and Konoha no Kīroi Senkō. It seems we have something more in common between us, eh, Gaara? Both children turned into Jinchūriki by the Yondaime Kage of our respective countries. But also, both children were the sons of the Kage that condemned us to our retched existence." Gaara nodded dumbly, trying to get some of the words out of his mouth.

"What of your mother, then. Is she dead also?" Naruto's happy smile dimmed somewhat. His eyes shown with great sadness.

"Her name was Uzumaki Kushina, the Uzu no Akashi. She was a from Uzu, and when Iwa destroyed it, she fled to Konoha. She later meet my dad and they eventually fell in love. Oji-san married them in secret, and Kā-san became pregnant with me. They would've announced their marriage a few weeks after I was born. However, the Kyūbi attack happened on the night of my birth. The strain of Kyūbi's chakra, along with the birthing process, killed my mother. Tō-san thought that she was still alive to take care of me when he took me to perform the sealing. Thus, I was left alone in a world that despised my very existence." Miyu hugged Naruto, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss. She blushed due to the present company, and he smiled reassuringly, and she shyly smiled back. "So that's my heritage. I found out about my mother when I traveled on accident into the remains of Uzugakure, and found a pool that showed me the memories of all the past Uzumaki." Naruto frowned, as if remembering something bad. "I found about my father by a Iwa nukenin. He recognized me, and taunted me as he tried to extract revenge." His face morphed into his foxy grin.

Miyu smiled also _"I always loved this smile. He makes me want to kiss him, and then…"_ Her thoughts trailed off, and she blushed a deep crimson.

"After I found about my father, I returned to Konoha, broke into the Hokage Tower to find anything I could about Tō-san. It seemed that Sandaime kept their letters to me behind the Yondaime's picture. I was pissed at first, still am actually. But then I read them, and felt happy. My parents didn't leave me. I was loved. I left to the Namikaze mansion, not before leaving a surprise for bā-chan, because she lied to me the night I left." Naruto's mischievous smile turned simply evil as he chuckled. "I hid all her sake, and I left a note saying that Yondaime knew that secret to defeating paperwork, and he never left any instructions to his successors." He laughed loud and long. Gaara dropped to his knees before him, and folded his hands.

"Naruto-sama is a great and benevolent man, and he wishes to pass on his knowledge to his beloved followers. I beseech thee to give thy humble servant his great and honorable knowledge to defeating the monstrosity that is known as paperwork." He bowed, his forehead touching the floor. Temari face-faulted and Miyu sweat-dropped as they watched the scene unfold. Naruto stroked his chin and look down at Gaara.

"I may be able to part with my valuable information, if you do something for me, my loyal servant."

"Anything, my Lord. Ask, and I shall give you the treasury if you so wish. I can give you anything within the walls of Sunagakure." Temari twitched nervously, knowing Gaara and his rants on paperwork, she knew he was serious in what he said.

"Gaara, is that such a good idea? You just can't give the village away, you're a Kage, act like one!" Gaara nodded sagely.

"I am acting like a Kage. I am asking for a trade agreement between my allies and myself to destroy that which haunts even my dreams." His face was impassive and completely serious at the same time.

"For this trade agreement, I only ask that myself and Miyu have permission to come and go as we please, as long as we tell in advance."

"Consider it done. Anything else you wish to barter, my Lord, or can this humble servant partake in your glorious knowledge?" Naruto stroked his chin again, looking down at Miyu, who only shrugged.

"The only other thing I can think of is an all expense paid shopping trip to your local clothing store, because," his grin became sheepish, and Miyu blushed again, "despite what it looks like, we're not wearing anything. My yōki is holding up the Henge." Both Temari and Gaara blushed, and Gaara nodded. He moved behind his desk and opened a drawer. He took out a piece of paper and started writing something on it. He paused and looked up, a confused look marring his face.

"Yōki? As in demonic life force? As in you're a demon? When did this happen?" Naruto sighed, and pulled Miyu into his side again, where she snuggled into his chest.

"Yes I'm a demon. It happen ten years ago, when I absorbed the remains of the Kyūbi no Yōko." He let the Henge hiding their ears and tails go, and the air shimmered for a second. Gaara and Temari stared in awe upon the demonic couple, with their ears twitching upon the tops of their heads, and a total of ten tails flowing randomly behind them. "I am now a demon, a Kyūbi no Kitsune, a Zenko to be exact." He saw some fear build up in Temari's eyes. "Being a demon does not mean that I am evil. Being a demon just means that I don't have the same makeup as a ningen, nor do I have chakra flowing through my body. Or a chakra pathway for that matter. Being a demon means I utilize the different forms of energy that is found in nature. Ok, I lied, chakra is technically in everything on the planet, but so is yōki, and so is energy that turns that stars and planets in the sky. Demons are attuned to yōki, and is what they use. No ningen can sense it unless they already know what it is." Temari interrupted with a confused look on her face, creating small, but noticeable stress lines.

"If that is true, how can I sense you now, with chakra? And before at the oasis, we felt you from a half mile off." Miyu was the one who answered.

"It is because, like Na-kun said, everything has yōki and chakra, it is just how you use it. Long before your Elemental Countries can into being, long before the Rikudō Sennin discovered chakra and its properties to create ninjutsu, demons and ningen lived side by side. It was the akuma, the evil demons, who only lived for destruction and killing. This lead to the misconception of demons being evil, when in reality, very few demons were so. In fact, all Kekkei Genkai originate from demonic origins. A human had to have mated with a demon, and their offspring were hanyō. They lived ningen lives, but retained the powers or properties of their demon parent. These powers passed down through the years and became specialized, and the ningen started calling them Kekkei Genkai." Naruto nudged her gently, and she nodded. She needed to get back on track. "Anyways, all the natural energies are similar, but not exactly the same. It is like comparing ninja from Kiri and Uzu. Both use Suiton, both are ninja, but they two were trained differently and operate under different styles. That's not entirely what happens, or accurate, but you get the idea, yes?" Gaara and Temari nodded.

"So that is why I sensed Naruto when he got close enough. I had known what yōki was because yours, or Shukaku's or both, flowed through my pathways before, yes?"

"That is correct. If you weren't a former Jinchūriki, you would have never known that Na-kun was a demon." Gaara nodded, content with the answer. Miyu blushed, shying back into Naruto's chest. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"This is where I pick up I guess. Mi-chan is all out of steam. Yōki is like chakra, not Inherently good or evil. Orochimaru uses chakra, but he's evil. His chakra, while twisted, is not evil. Yōki is the same. A demon may use yōki for evil, but yōki itself is not evil. That being said leads us to our next topic." He wrapped his tails protectively around Miyu. "Myself being a demon. I am not evil, despite that fact that I have plenty of reasons to be so. Next is my succession of being Kyūbi. There have been three other Kyūbi's as Bijū. There are hundreds of kyūbi no Kitsune in this world, as well. The first Kyūbi was a Kyūbi no Zenko, like myself. She was the largest piece of the Jūbi that the Rikudō Sennin broke apart when he defeated it. She was a kind Kitsune, and she oversaw the other eight Bijū and the ningen. She was a balance for the world, keeping everything in harmony. After a few hundred years, she stepped down from being a Bijū and gave the title over to a young Kyūbi no Yako. He had a short reign, where he also controlled the balance of the world, although, to his nature, caused mischief every once in a while. His reign lasted for only a few decades before a power demon from Makai, a Kyūbi no Yōko killed him and took the title of Bijū. This is the same Kitsune that attacked Konoha that fateful night. He ruled Makai through fear, and killed whoever apposed him. He did anything and everything that he wanted, never caring for the consequences. He was evil, through and through. The seals that my father made, the Shiki Fujin, the Hakke no Fuin Shiki, and the Shishō Fuin, all came together to kill spirit of the Yōko, and to have my body absorb his yōki. When that happened, I underwent a transformation from ningen, into hanyō, into full demon. This allowed me to fully control the yōki within me, and as a result, I became the next Kyūbi, a Zenko like the original." Gaara and Temari were speechless, what were they supposed to say to a story like that?

"I see. I don't understand half of that, and I have a feeling that you're only telling half the story." He looked out the window. "It's late. Why don't you go to the clothing store, buy your clothes, and then Temari will take you back to the Sabaku mansion. You can spend the night, and continue your story in the morning." At the mention of sleep, Miyu yawned in the cutest way either Gaara or Temari had ever seen. Naruto smiled once she was done, after giving her a kiss.

"Isn't Mi-chan the cutest little thing?" She blushed. "I would like to take you up on that offer. I think we've all had a long day, and sleeping in a bed would be nice." Gaara nodded to Temari and handed them the coupon he started writing so long ago. They followed Temari out into the dusk of night and entered a clothing store. They bought enough clothes to last them a few weeks, and followed Temari back to her home. They bade each other good night and settled down. Miyu immediate shucked her clothes once the door closed and climbed into the bed. She hopped up and down, and Naruto watched as her breasts swayed. She smiled a sultry smile and beckoned him close. Needless to say, Temari didn't get much sleep that night.

A tired Temari woke them up in the morning with the threat of them getting no breakfast if they weren't out in five minutes. They complied, and as they entered the kitchen, they saw that Temari had bags under her eyes, and that they were bloodshot. Naruto smiled sheepishly and Miyu blushed. They ate quickly and headed for the Kazekage Tower. They entered, and Gaara had his secretary cancel all meetings for the rest of the day. Gaara and Temari looked expectantly at Naruto and he began his story.

"It all started…"

Author's Note

Second chapter is out! Woot! If anyone actually reads this far, then good for you, and good for me for keeping your attention this long. I know these chapters aren't that long, nor will they be in the future, but please just stick with me as I go. I'll try and update as fast as I can, but school may not allow it with the new semester and all. Please READ AND REVIEW. There are cold people in many Third World countries, and I will do my best to give them any flames that I recieve.

I realized that I did not include a glossary of Japanese terms in the last chapter. So, here's chapters one and two 'words to know'.

Chapter One

Kyū - Nine

To - and

Ichi - One

Jūbi - Ten Tail(s)

-chan - term of endearment, used on young children and females in a relationship

-kun - informal, used between people with close bonds

Anata - you, used in this case as beloved

Kaze no Kuni - Country of Wind, Wind Country

Ningen - Human

Yōki - Demon Energy, demons source of power

Sunagakure no Sato - Village of Hidden Sand

Kazekage - Wind Shadow

-sama - formal, used when referring to a person with great respect

Shunshin (no Jutsu) - (Technique of) Body Flicker

Suna - Sand

Jōnin - High Ninja, used as military captains

Hotaru Yokuchi - Firefly Oasis

Godaime - Fifth Generation

Akuma - Evil Demon, used just to mean demon

Tessen - Battle Fan

Chapter Two

Kami - God

Kinzuna Miyu - Beautiful Evening of the Golden Sand

Ichibi (no Tanuki) - (Raccoon Dog of) One Tail

Bijū - Tail(ed) Beast

Jinchūriki - Power of the Human Sacrifice (People Sacrifice Power)

Dakara, hontō ni yurushite kudasai - So, truly please forgive me.

Uzu no Kuni - Country of Swirl (Whirlpool), Whirlpool Country

Konoha(gakure no Sato) - (Village of Hidden) Leaf

Iwa(gakure no Sato) - (Village of Hidden) Rock

Yondaime - Fourth Generation

Konoha no Kīroi Senkō - Yellow Flash of the Leaf

Uzu no Akashi - Red Death of Whirlpool

Oji - Old Man

-san - formal addressing, used with respect or uncertainty

Kā - Mother

Kyūbi (no Yōko) - (Demon Fox of) Nine Tail(s)

Tō - Father

Uzugakure (no Sato) - (Village of) Hidden Whirlpool

Nukenin - Rouge Ninja

Sandaime - Third Generation

Bā - Grandma, Old Lady

Henge (no Jutsu) - (Technique of) Transformation

Kyūbi no Kitsune - Fox of Nine Tail(s)

(Kyūbi no) Zenko - Good Fox (of Nine Tail(s))

Rikudō Sennin - The Sage of the Six Path(s)

Ninjustu - Techniques of ninja

Kekkei Genkai - Bloodline Limit

Hanyō - Half Demon

Kiri(gakure no Sato) - (Village of Hidden) Mist

Suiton - Water Style / Release

Kyūbi no Yako - Field Fox of Nine Tail(s)

Makai - Demon World, used as another name for Hell

Shiki Fujin - Dead Demon Consuming Seal, holds the Kyūbi no Yōko with Naruto

Hakke no Fuin Shiki - Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, augments the Shiki Fujin

Shishō Fuin - Four Seasons Seal, augments the Shiki Fujin

Peace out. Mangetsu


	3. Goodbye Konoha

Goodbye Konoha

A large dark blur raced through the foliage of the great forest of Hi no Kuni. The blur jumped from one large branch to the next. The blur lurched to a stop, standing perfectly still on a thin branch of an oak. The blur turned out to be a tall man with bright blond hair, six whisker-like marks on his cheeks, and startling cerulean eyes. Those same eyes scanned the surrounding forest, watching for whatever triggered his senses. The man relaxed, finally sensing the familiar chakra closing in. He flared his chakra so that the nin coming towards him could reach the man faster. He sat down on the branch, making sure his mission report was correct and accurate enough for his leader. He smiled at the thought of the old woman who sat behind the genjutsu she used to look young and beautiful. He would be glad to see his bā-chan again after the three weeks he was gone.

The familiar chakra was upon him now. The first thing he saw has gravity-defying silver hair. Hatake Kakashi was a lazy man with a perverted habit; reading the coveted Icha Icha series, written by the king of perverts himself, his other sensei, Jiraiya. He had such good time with his sensei, both of them. With thoughts of Kakashi always came thoughts of his former traitor best friend, Uchiha Sasuke. He had finally fulfilled his promise to Sakura-chan. He had brought the teme home. He had done it. It had taken the defeat of Pein, the defeat of Akatsuki, and the defeat of Madara to finally convince Sasuke to return to the home he left long ago. Sakura had helped convince Sasuke to return, naturally, and after a probation of one year, Sasuke rejoined the Konoha ninja corps.

During that time, from when Sasuke left, to when he rejoin Konoha, Naruto and Sakura had finally gotten together. He had finally broken her done to go on a date with him and after that they were a steady couple. They took things slow, and savored their little precious time together. Right before they had found Sasuke for the last time, Naruto had proposed to his Sakura-chan, and she accepted. They remained engaged until a month after Sasuke had been released from his probation. The wedding was quite large, with more than 75% of the invitees were from other countries; the friends he had made on his adventures. Sasuke had been his best man, and Gaara had been right behind him. Yamanaka Ino had been Sakura-chan's maid of honor, and the wedding had gone without a hitch. Three months later, Sakura had announced that she was pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to a beautiful little boy with a small tuft of pink hair and black eyes. Naruto had never been as happy as he was the first time he held his little boy, Daisuke they decided on, in his arms, next to his wife.

It has been three years since then, and Naruto had never been more content with his life. Half of the village finally accepted him, his best friend was back, he had finally gotten the girl of his dreams, and he now had a family. His musings were cut short as Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Yo! I felt your chakra closing in, and I thought to myself that I would go say hi, since I hardly ever see you anymore." He gave his famous eye smile. Naruto's hand went behind his head, and he gave a nervous laugh.

"He, he! Well, I'm always on missions now, and whenever I'm not, you are, so if anyone's to blame, it's bā-chan for giving us conflicting mission times." He smiled his infamous foxy smile and Kakashi just sighed.

"How about after your report to Tsunade-sama, we go get ramen, my treat?" As Naruto jumped around, Kakashi could only sigh. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Naruto's only thought was to eat one or two bowls of ramen, 'cause then he wanted to see Sakura-chan.

Naruto checked the hospital. Sakura-chan wasn't there. They said that she went home for her lunch break. He smiled in anticipation for the surprise he was going to giver her. They hardly ever had time to be intimate, with her schedule at the hospital, and his own time doing numerous missions for bā-chan. He couldn't wait to finally show her how much he loved her. It had been over a year since they last had sex, and if Naruto was truthful with himself, he was well over due. Their house came into view, and Naruto's smile widened. Naruto entered his house. He looked down and the smile slipped off his face. Sakura's shoes where there, but so where someone else's; a males. He calmed his beating heart, and expanded his sense. He sensed his teammates' familiar chakra. They were together…in the same room…doing something that they should not be doing. His heart clenched painfully. "Please, no. Kami-sama no." He quietly worked his way through the house, until he could hear what they were doing. The low smacks of flesh-on-flesh, his wife's soft moans…His heart broke. Sakura was moaning Sasuke's name now. Sasuke grunted in return. After that was silence until the started talking.

"What time is Daisuke returning?"

"Soon. Ino should be back around three." Naruto could hear the smile in his wife – his ex-wife's – words. "That means we still have time to-" Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He opened the door, ignoring their startled gasps. He didn't look at them as he walked over to his closet and gathered up his clothes.

"N-n-naru-to! Wha-what are you doing? You're home early!" They were scrambling for their clothes; he could hear the rustling of the sheets. He stayed quiet, continuing to pack his belongings from his soon-to-be-former home. "Thi-this isn't what it looks like! We were just-" Naruto cut him off, no longer wanting to hear their excuses. They betrayed him.

"I know what you were doing. It's quite obvious." His reply made even him cringe. Was that his voice? That hoarse, monotone? He would have thought it would have been full of hate, or anger, or sadness. Judging by the look on their faces, so did they. He just stared at them for a second, trying to see if they were sorry that they just destroyed his heart, and subsequently, his entire world. There was only shock, surprise, and resignation. So, this wasn't the first time. The broken pieces of his heart were pulverized into dust just then. He sighed, and turned his back on them, leaving his ex-wife and -best friend. He would go see bā-chan for the divorce papers. Ha. He gave a humorless, silent laugh at the irony. He should have seen this coming. Of course he was always second best compared to the teme. He has been since they were all children. He briefly wondered how long this was going on behind his back. He squashed that though immediately. If he knew, he'd probably kill them both.

As he reached the doorway, he felt Sakura-cha…no, Sakura's hand reached out and touched his shoulder. "Please, Naruto, this is all just a misunderstanding. There's nothing going on between us. Nothing has to change. Please don't go." His fist clenched on the doorknob, completely destroying it. Ah. There's the anger he expected. He turned around slowly, and Sakura flinched from the look in his eyes; they themselves were a deep violet, raging with unholy fire.

"Nothing has to change, huh? Sure, I'll be the punching bag I used to be. I stand aside and let you and the teme fuck behind my back, then I'll pretend I didn't see anything and carry on the way everything should be." He laughed again, and Sakura withdrew her hand away from the coldness that Naruto was expelling. "Newsflash, Sakura. I'm not the same punching bag that I was when we were little. If you'd rather fuck the Uchiha-teme than be with me fine. See what I care. After all, I'm just the dobe. I'm just the nameless orphan who nobody likes. I'm just the fucking Jinchuriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko. I'm just going to take my son, and leave you to the Uchiha, slut." He turned and opened the broken door. Just as he was about to step outside, Sakura spoke up from her stupor.  
"He's not your son." The tiny particles of his heart were blown away on the wind.

"What?" His voice was deathly quite, and the noise on the street faded away, people sensing that something wasn't right.

"I said he's not your son. He's Sasuke's. I always meant to tell you the truth. I really did. But one thing lead to another, and-" She was cut off by the power of Kyūbi exploding out of the man in front of her. He slowly turned around, revealing the deep crimson eyes of the Kitsune. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and her lungs weren't working. She felt like she weighed a million pounds, and if she moved she would be completely eradicated by the demon-in-human-skin before her.

"So, you've been fucking that teme behind my back for three years now, eh? Go figure. He always got everything." His voice was much deeper and coarse then before. He could feel the Kitsune waking up to his anger. He didn't care anymore. Naruto noticed that the teme's head stuck out from the stairwell doorway. He looked the last Uchiha – not anymore apparently – in the eyes. "How's it feel, teme? Not only did you take my wife, you took my child as well. When we were younger, you always complained that your family was taken from you. Well, the tides have turned. You took my family away from me." Sasuke tensed up, his Sharingan flaring to life, to protect himself and his lover. Anymore conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a small object running into Naruto's leg, closely followed by an out-of-breath Ino. She looked around; at the angry Naruto, and the disheveled Sakura and Sasuke. She frowned, putting the pieces together. She had suspected for a while now that her best friend was hiding something about the last Uchiha, and now, she was afraid that her suspicions were true.

"Tō-chan, tō-chan! Guess what, guess what I did today." The small form of the newly revealed Uchiha tugged at Naruto's pant leg. His face soften, and his eyes returned to their normal blue.

"I'm going to have to go away now, Dai-kun, but kā-chan will listen to you." He looked up to Sakura's tearful eyes. "Have fun explaining to him why his father's leaving, and why he will develop something in a few years that neither of us has." With that he walked out the door, never looking back. Sakura fell to the floor, her tears running freely.

A blond woman with a large bust sat behind a desk, trying to fight the most evil thing on this mortal plane. Paperwork. The deceptively harmless looking pieces of paper were holding her from divulging in her favorite pastime, drinking sake. She looked up and around, making sure Shizune wasn't in the vicinity. She smirked, not sensing anyone nearby. She opened her bottom left drawer and pulled out a sake bottle. She took a long, hard swig of the nectar of the gods, and as she brought the bottle down, she spotted Naruto sitting tensely in front of her. She spit out her sake, covering all the papers on her desk. "What the hell, gaki?! You should…" She trailed off, taking in the serious visage of her little brother/son. "Naruto, what's wrong?" He stood up and handed her a piece of paper. She was very worried now. She looked at the piece of paper, and it was a divorce paper for one Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Haruno Sakura. She jumped to her feet, and slammed her hands on the desk. "What the hell is going on? What happened? Are you ok? What-"

"She's been sleeping with the Uchiha since he got back. Daisuke isn't my son. I'm not dealing with them anymore, so I'm leaving her. I don't care what she says; I'm not going to be their punching bag anymore. I'm tired, I'm through, I quit." Tsunade nodded, and Naruto explained everything that transpired just a short while ago. She signed the papers and went around her desk and hugged her little brother. He was so tense.

"Everything will be alright, gaki. I'll make sure everything will be alright." Naruto shook his head in the negative. He hugged one last time, then slowly disengaged himself from her. She looked hurt, and he backed away.  
"Tsunade-sama, I must ask you this now…Do you have any secrets you wish to tell me? Anything at all?" She looked shocked. Then, she schooled her face, wishing she didn't have to lie to him.

"No, gaki, there's nothing I have to tell you. Why? What's this all about now?" Naruto ignored her questions, and his shoulders slowly relaxed. He smiled a small smile.

"Thank you bā-chan. This makes leaving so much easier." Tsunade jumped up, but before she could utter anything, the Naruto in front of her exploded into a cloud of smoke.

A mile outside of Konoha, Naruto stopped in his walking, and gave a small, sad smile. "Goodbye bā-chan. I'm sorry." He walked a little farther, and a small tear was picked off his cheek and carried on the wind. He never looked back. "Goodbye Konoha."

Author's Note

Finally, Chapter Three! Sorry for the delay, I've been rather lazy lately. GOMEN NASAI! It's out, so please don't hate me. READ AND REVIEW! All flames recieved will make a good bonfire for ALL THE CITIES OF THE WORLD TO BURN WITH. MY MIGHT WILL BE UNLEASHED! I WILL RULE THIS INSIGNIFICANT PLANET I-oof!

Sorry, hamster got away again.

Glossary

Nin – Ninja

Genjutsu – Illusionary Technique

Bā – Old Lady / Grandma / Old Hag

Teme – Bastard

Yo – Hey

Kami – God

Sharingan – Copy Wheel Eye

Tō – Dad

Kā – Mom

Gaki – Brat

Mangetsu no Kitsune singing out!


	4. Where I Come In

Kyū to Ichi: Nine and One

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Naruto would've graduated on his first try, rather than his third, and, under a proper teacher, would've totally kicked Sasu-**uke**'s ass at the VotE!

The room was somber as Temari and Gaara reflected on what they heard. Naruto had a faraway look on his face, remember the events. Miyu had sad visage, and she reached out to try and comfort her beloved. As her small hand touched his, he lost the look on his face and smiled lovingly at her. He wouldn't know how he could live without his wonderful little Mi-chan. He brought her in close, enveloping her in his warmth and love. Naruto turned back to Gaara and Temari, ready to continue his tale. "I didn't take any provision with me when I left Konoha. I merely wanted to get as far away as fast as I could. Incidentally, my path led me directly to the ruins of Uzugakure, the home of my mother and her people. It was there that I found out about her. Shinobi from Uzugakure were reported to have many great special or supernatural powers, even for a ninja. Really, all those super powers were from a chakra-infused spring that held the memories and experiences of every Uzumaki that ever touched the waters. The spring is incredible in the way that it draws the soul of any Uzumaki that had previously touched it when they die. It takes the soul before it passes on and copies the memories of Uzumaki, so that the future members of the clan can learn our shared history.

"The Uzu no Tai Izumi was the spring that I drank from when I was exploring the ruins. It showed me the entire history of the Uzumaki, from the founder right on down to my kā-chan. I learned of everything from her memories, all except that of my father's identity. The spring only had a vague shadow of him, but I had my suspicions. It was only after I left Uzu and headed toward Iwa did I learn of who my father was." Naruto smiled nostalgically at some memory, and the other occupants of the room relaxed at the sight. Naruto could always affect another person's moods with his own, and it seemed he still could. Miyu wrapped her tail around one of his and smiled at his happiness.

"After seeing the all the secrets of the shinobi of Uzugakure, I trained for two years, mastering everything that the memories of all the Uzumaki held." Neither Sabaku sibling looked shocked at that bit of information. Naruto smiled ruefully, and continued. "I left Uzu with the intention of finding out if any other Uzumaki survived and stayed hidden. It was during my time in Tsuchi no Kuni that several squads of Iwa shinobi ambushed me and revealed to me my hitherto unidentified father. One of the jōnin who was old enough to have fought the Yondaime remembered his face, and told me that except for the whisker mark that I was a carbon copy of the late Hokage. I defeated the Iwa nin and retreated into the forests of Hi no Kuni. I meditated and entered my mindscape to talk to the Kyūbi. He agreed with the Iwa nin, and I immediately returned to Konoha. I entered the Hokage tower at night, but didn't find anything of importance." He gave a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck. "I did, however, make a copy of the Fūin no Makimono." Temari's eyes bugged out, and Gaara just shook his head at his friend's antics. "Other than that, I only looked up the directions to the Namikaze compound and immediately headed for it. I reached the gate and found it sealed shut. I had been studying seals during my time in Uzu, and I recognized a blood seal on the gate. Trying my luck, I put my blood on it and it opened. I was both happy and saddened at the fact the Yondaime, the man that I idolized and looked up to as a hero, was my father, and was the one who gave me the terrible burden of the Kyūbi. I decided to put my feelings on hold and entered the compound. I took everything that mattered, and burned it down. I returned to the Hokage tower to leave a surprise for bā-chan, and then I found some letters that I have overlooked before. They were from my parents, telling me they loved me, and that they were sorry. I was incredibly happy and pissed at the same time. I left Konoha once more, and trained my self in everything that my father left behind for the next three years, for a total of five years after I fled Konoha."

Naruto got a mischievous look on his face then. "It was in that fifth year that I died."

"WHAT?!" shouted both Gaara and Temari. Naruto smiled foxily at them.

"Yup! I died. However, not in the way that either of you are thinking." Gaara got a speculative expression on his face. Temari just looked on confused.

"Did it have something to do to with the Kyūbi?" Naruto smiled.

"I always knew you were a genius." His face grew somber. "It was actually the seal that did me in. I was created different than any other Jinchūriki. My tō-san created the seals to kill the Kitsune and to have me absorb his chakra, rather than just as a container. My father, in his haste, forgot about the yōki the akuma contained. Because of this, almost as soon as the Yōko was sealed into me, I became a hanyō. No one knew, because ningen cannot feel yōki." Here, he laughed, a humorless laugh full of pain. Miyu quickly hugged him, trying to ease his pain. "The villagers, the ignorant swine, never really knew how close they were telling the truth when they called me 'demon'." Miyu squeezed one of his tails with her own, and he smiled down at her and, as she looked up, stole a quick kiss. "I'm getting off track here. Anyways, because I was a hanyō, my body was out of balance. Hanyō never live very long lives, due to the imbalance that exists within them. Anyways, during that fifth year, fearing its impeding death, the Yōko decided it would try and escape. It hoped that, if it was going to die, then it would die trying for freedom, rather than waiting until I died. He tried to kill me to escape, but I wouldn't let it. A mental fight ensued, but I don't really remember it. It's all fuzzy. I do remember though that I somehow forced the seals to drain the Yōko's yōki, thus killing it. After that, all I knew was excruciating pain. I don't know how long I was out, but I think it was about two months. I just lied there, in the middle of the mountains deep in Kaminari no Kuni.

"When I woke up, I was different. I could feel it, just instinctual. I knew I was no longer a hanyō. I remember standing up, and seeing my tails for the first time, and I knew that I had succeeded in overcoming my fate of an early death. I had all this knowledge in my head, and I knew I was the new Kyūbi. I also knew that I was different than the last, and that I was a Zenko. For the next five years I went over my memories, and the memories of all the other Kyūbi that came before me, all the way to the original. I retrained my self, making sure I could do everything that I could while a human, and then going beyond the point of mortality and started training myself as a bijū. I pushed myself as far as I could go, and eventually earned my title as the Kyūbi no Zenko. After I made sure I knew everything that I could and couldn't do, I set out to find the other bijū to tell them a new person was in charge. Also I wanted to remind them that, while they may be bijū, and nigh immortal, they aren't invulnerable, unstoppable, or invincible." Naruto took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He smiled at Miyu, and gently pushed her forward. She took a hesitant step forward, and smiled shyly at Gaara and Temari.

"I guess this is where I come in…"

Author's Note

Here's Chapter 4! I'm sorry it took so long, I've been soooooo lazy lately. Nevertheless, here's the latest chappie! READ AND REVIEW! If you don't, then well, I can't help where Mr. Fluffy might accidentally wanders during the night!

Glossary

Konoha – Leaf

Uzugakure – Hidden Whirlpool

Shinobi – another way of saying ninja

Uzu no Tai Izumi – The Great Spring of Spiral(s) / Whirlpool

Kā – mother

-chan - term of endearment, used on young children and females in a relationship

Uzu – Spiral / Whirlpool

Iwa – Rock

Tsuchi no Kuni – Country of Earth, Earth Country

Jōnin – highest ranking ninja

Hi no Kuni – Country of Fire, Fire Country

Kyūbi – Nine Tail(s)

Fūin no Makimono – Scroll of Seal(s), the scroll Naruto steals for Mizuki (mistakenly called the Forbidden Scroll often)

Bā – Grandma / Old Hag

Jinchūriki – Power of the Human Sacrifice (People Sacrifice Power)

Tō – father

-san - formal addressing, used with respect or uncertainty

Kitsune – Fox

Akuma – Evil Demon

Yōki – Demon Energy, demons source of power

Yōko – Demon Fox

Hanyō – Half Demon

Kaminari no Kuni – Country of Lightning, Lightning Country

Zenko – Good Fox

Ningen – Human

Bijū – Tail(ed) Beast


	5. Can I Come With You

The winds blew harshly through the dunes, whipping the sand in every direction. The winds carried with them a sense of foreboding. As the embodiment of wind and sand, I could feel the change in the air. Something happened, and that something was coming in this direction. I don't know what it is, but it was powerful. Very powerful.

I was currently, if memory served, somewhere where no ningen had set foot before. Through the haze that was my memory of my time bonded with Shukaku, I knew that this land was called Kaze no Kuni. Almost a hundred miles north of me was a village that housed ninja, Sunagakure no Sato, where all my former hosts hailed from. Thinking of my former host saddens me to no extent. To have suffered through Shukaku's influence drove all my Jinchūriki mad. There was nothing I could do to stop Shukaku or ease their burdens.

I sighed. That was neither here nor now. Rather, the yōki that currently was standing in front of me is here and now.

My breath caught as I stared at the incredible male that stood in front of me. Other than the feeling of yōki I had sensed coming towards me, I had no idea that he was this close, nor the fact that he appeared in front of me with no warning or preamble.

"Ichibi no Tanuki," his voice was deep, rough, and totally male. I shuddered as his very presence washed over me. This was something very new and very frightening. "Formerly Ichibi no Shukaku. I see that with the parting of the Gedō Mazō, the taint of Shukaku has been cleansed from your yōki and body." This very male creature was tall. Must be at least a head taller than I. His hair was a golden blond, and his skin very tan. He had three whisker-like marks on his cheeks that where triggering something in the back of my mind, but I could not place it at the moment. His shoulders were broad and he was muscular, overly so, but in the wiry kind of way. His head turned, taking in his surroundings. He gave a rueful smile that made my knees weak and my tail fur stand on end. "I see you have taken recluse far from the ningen civilization. Sunagakure no Sato is the nearest ningen settlement, a hundred and three miles north-northwest from our current position." There were nine. Nine, glorious blond tails that flowed lazily behind him.

"Kyūbi no Kitsune." By the Jūbi, was that my voice? That breathy whisper? His head turned back toward me and he smiled warmly, showing his elongated canines. It was a very feral smile, and my knees gave out from under me. Before I even registered that I had fallen, he caught me in an iron hold. My head was against his rock hard chest, and I could feel his heart beating strong.

"Careful there, Ichi-chan. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself now, would we?" He chuckled, his breath washing over my ears. I did the only thing I knew how to do when in this type of situation: I fainted.

When I awoke, it was nighttime and the moon was full. There was a small fire to the left of my, and I was lying on something warm. I turned my head and found myself staring into deep, cerulean eyes. He smiled at me, and I was thankful I was already lying down.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Ichi-chan. You know, you remind me of a girl I used to know. Always turning red and fainting whenever I was near." For some reason, my chest constricted when he spoke of this girl, this Hinata. He spoke of her in such high regard, and it made me…jealous perhaps? His attention turned back toward me, and I almost missed what he said next. "You, however, you are much cuter. Especially with your ears and tail." He continued to speak, but I could no longer hear him over the pounding in my 'cute' ears. I nearly fainted again, my vision already blacking out when I heard it. "Breathe in." I did as I was told. "Breathe out." Pretty soon it was evident that Kyūbi no Kitsune had saved me from another fainting spell. I couldn't trust my voice at the moment, so I tried to communicate with my eyes, 'why?' He just smiled at me.

"It's very difficult to have a conversation with you if you keep fainting on me. Just rest for now. We'll talk in a few minutes." We just sat there in silence for a while, not comfortable, but not uncomfortable. My head remained in his lap as we watched the flicker flames.

As the deep night settled in around us, a slight chill enveloped me, and I sneezed. Kyūbi chuckled and sat me upright. He tucked me into his side, and I blushed heavily. "I guess this is the best time as any to tell you what I need to." He exhaled loudly, and I wondered what he traveled all the way out here for. "As you can obviously tell, I am a Kyūbi no Kitsune. You can also tell that I am not the Kitsune that you remember."

"Yes. The former Kyūbi was a Yōko, fully malevolent and vicious. I only get a sense of comfort and warmth from you." I realized what I said and blushed, ducking my head. He chuckled again.

"That is true. I am what is called a Zenko. I am almost exactly like the original Kyūbi no Kitsune that came from the Jūbi. However, the main difference between her and me is that I was born a human. My name is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto. Former jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko, and former ninja from Konohagakure no Sato. It's nice to meet you Ichibi no Tanuki." I stared at him, quite dumbfounded, and he smiled gently. "I realize you have question but please wait until I'm done explaining things to you before you interrupt me." I could only nod, as he went on to explain how he was born a hero, how he grew up hated, how he met my former host, and how he became a demon. I sat, enthralled in his voice, watching as his handsome features went through many different emotions. My heart went out for him, a sad and lonely child turned into the strongest demon of living on this plane. I could not explain what was happening to me, only that I felt the need to comfort him, the need to stay with him. It was highly confusing, but I put my feelings on hold as he finished his tale. "I have come to you today to meet you and introduce you to myself as the new Kyūbi no Kitsune. I will be leaving in the morning to track down the rest of the bijū. Now then, do you have any questions?" I don't know what came over me, but I blurted out the first thing on my mind.

"Can I come with you?" He just smiled gently and kissed my cheek.

"May I ask the name of the lovely Tanuki that will accompany me?" I just blushed again and smiled shyly at him.

"My name in Ichibi no Tanuki, Kinzuna Miyu."

Author's Note

Here's Chapter 5. Sorry for the wait in posting this chapter. I have forgotten where I was going with this story, and it'll take me a while to figure it back out. I promise I'm not quitting, just trying to get back on the right track. Please read and review, or else the dust bunnies that live under your bed will nibble on your toes tonight.

Glossary

Kaze no Kuni – Country of Wind / Wind COuntry

Sunagakure no Sato – Village of Hidden Sand / Hidden Sand Village

Jinchūriki – Power of Human Sacrifice

Yōki – a demon's life-force, where they draw their energy from

Ichibi no Tanuki – Raccoon Dog of the One Tail

Gedō Mazō – literally, Outer Path Demon Statue, the statue that Nagato summons

Kyūbi no Kitsune – Fox of Nine Tail(s)

Jūbi – Ten Tail(s)

-chan – affectionate term of endearment

Yōko – Demon Fox

Zenko – literally, Good Fox

Konohagakure no Sato – Village of Hidden Leaf / Hidden Leaf Village

Bijū – Tail(ed) Beast


End file.
